A few weeks ago I shared some of my biggest design regrets in our current home. Today I want to flip the script and highlight the design choices I’m most glad we made—the things I’d happily repeat in this house or in a future one. These are the ideas that have brought the most joy, function, and personality to our home. Here are the wins.
Using Zellige Tile
Zellige tile is easily one of my favorite materials. We used handmade Moroccan zellige in both our main bathroom and our kitchen. I love the tactile, slightly imperfect surface, the subtle variations in color, and the small, irregular grout lines that make the tile read as handcrafted instead of factory-perfect. It feels timeless—like it has always belonged in the house—and adds warmth and character to every space.
One detail I’m especially glad we chose was a darker grout color rather than bright white. It helps the tile feel aged and integrated, makes the grout lines far less noticeable, and practical too—it hides stains better than a pale grout would.
Investing in Custom Molding
When we replaced floors in a few rooms, the contractors offered standard molding or a custom replication of the original trim found elsewhere in the house. The custom version was costly, but we chose it—and it was worth every penny. The woodworker who matched the molding said he’d never seen that exact profile before, which suggests the original may have been specially made for the house decades ago.
The molding itself isn’t showy, but carrying that same profile through both original and added rooms ties the house together visually and honors its history. Small architectural details like this make an outsized impact on how cohesive a home feels.
Opening the Kitchen to the Living Room
Originally the kitchen was walled off from the rest of the house—a common layout for older homes—but it didn’t work for our family. We wanted to preserve original character like the arches, the 1930s phone on the wall, and the existing trim while improving flow. My cousin, an architect, suggested adding a matching arch to create a trio of arches that visually links the living, dining, and kitchen areas.
We were nervous about making a new arch look authentic, but our contractor executed it flawlessly. You can’t tell which arch is the new one, and the house functions so much better now. The additional opening transformed circulation and made daily life with a young child much easier—without sacrificing the historic feel.
Adding Skylights
Installing skylights and sun tunnels in the kitchen, hallways, and bathrooms made a dramatic difference. Natural light now fills the interior, and during the day we rarely need artificial lighting. The rooms feel brighter and more cheerful, and the increased daylight has reduced our electricity use—another practical benefit.
Turning a Kitchenette into a Closet & Laundry Room
Our main suite used to be a separate rental unit, and one odd feature was a semi-outdoor kitchenette off the bedroom. Converting that awkward space into a walk-in closet with an integrated laundry area was one of our best moves. Having a washer and dryer in the closet is incredibly convenient, and the new closet far outperforms the tiny sliding-door closet that used to be there. Function, storage, and daily ease all improved.
Finding My Perfect Lighting Company
Discovering Sazerac Stitches felt like a design revelation. Their brass finishes and classic-yet-modern fixture shapes align perfectly with our aesthetic. While the company has gifted us pieces, I would gladly pay for their fixtures—those lights feel timeless and custom. I also appreciate how customizable the designs are; a few of our fixtures were created by combining options after a short email exchange. Lighting has such an impact on a room’s mood and identity, and these fixtures have been a consistent favorite.
Keeping Our Textured Walls
Textured walls are polarizing—many people smooth them out during renovations—but we chose to keep ours. Initially it was a budget decision, but over time I’ve grown to love the texture. It preserves a sense of age and authenticity, and matching the texture on our new arch helped the addition blend naturally with the original architecture. In hindsight, I wish we’d carried the texture into the kitchen walls as well.
How do you feel about textured walls? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What are the design changes in your home that you’d happily repeat? Any big wins you keep recommending to friends or would do again yourself?